10. Loss of Appetite: When Food No Longer Beckons
Picture this: You sit down to a feast, an array of your favorite dishes spread out before you. A week ago, you would have dived in without a second thought. But today? The aroma that once enticed you now repels you. The sight of food feels overwhelming, like looking at a mountain you’re suddenly expected to climb.
Initially, you write it off as a mood swing or perhaps stress affecting your eating habits. Yet, the feeling lingers. A week goes by, then another, and you find yourself pushing your plate away more often than not. You don’t look forward to meals; you dread them, which is ironic given how much joy food used to bring into your life.
The change doesn’t just affect you; those around you start to notice. Your family questions your newfound dietary habits. Friends express concern when you decline dinner invites. You begin to feel isolated, like a sailor lost at sea, disconnected from one of life’s basic pleasures.
You know something is awry, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. You love food; you always have. Yet, here you are, acting like someone who views eating as a mere obligation, a necessary chore rather than a source of delight. You wonder if you’re somehow broken, your relationship with food damaged beyond repair. (10)
